Hands of the Leafghost
As Ashin Varanin's influence grew within the Sith'ari Centrality and the Sith Empire, she discovered that her various responsibilities - Keeper of Holocrons aboard the Stormblessed, First Apprentice to Darth Sirena, alchemist, member of the Dark Council - dominated much of her time. As she cultivated her position within the Council, leveraged her few shares in Galactic Import/Export and re-established her family relationship with Naboo's royalty, more and more objects, funds and possibilities fell into her hands. Her 'Hands' are her assistants, mainly non-Force-sensitives who believe strongly in Ashin's values of justice and order. Notables * Cebelle Noir is Ashin's accountant and administrator. The daughter of rogue New Republic Fleet Admiral Cabbal Noir (deceased), she served in the Sixth Sector Fleet as ship's quartermaster on the ISD Raven's Talon. She participated in her father's prolonged cat-and-mouse campaign against Iara Beorht; after Beorht neutralized and captured Noir's fleet, Cebelle became a prisoner of war. She was freed at the death of Norik Kun and worked in administration on Marrovia as a private citizen, until recruited by Ashin Varanin. *'Terion Sero '''is Ashin's political aide. He was enslaved after his birth in a Nightsister coven, and latched onto Velok during the Whiphid's visit to the City of the Night; the Dark Lord appreciated his mind for political nuance and found him a position with Galactic Import/Export, negotiating with local governments. Though he remains on the GI/E payroll, Sero works exclusively for Ashin Varanin. .]] *'Miyo Hokkari''' is Ashin's connection in the Jade Empire. She was born on Varunda IX and enslaved by the Uul'ba-Rai. A revolutionary, Hokkari was part of the Salt Mines Gang under Dejaa Dite and Siriss Cortann, and played a key role in the liberation of Trevel'ka. She is a Level One Patriot, exceptionally weak in the Force - 'Force-attuned' - who has no useful Force skills of any kind. She has trained under the Jade Worlds thought-readers. The latter are not Force-users, but an order devoted to reading microexpressions and body language. As a result, Hokkari can usually guess the thoughts of Force-users with very well-shielded minds. Hokkari is one of the illegitimate children of Shau'ghun Keito Kaijus, making her half-sister of Empress Halla Kitani Kaijus, and first cousin of Dejaa Dite. *'Grien Absalom' is Ashin's purchasing agent and social proxy. She spends some of her time on Naboo, taking care of Ashin's home in Otoh Gunga and her relations with Naboo nobles. She travels often; for example, it was Grien who met Iara Beorht, Alu Beorht and Arice Quinn on Near Indosa during their visit to the Sith'ari Centrality. Grien is a skilled combatant, but no Force-user. *'Tolodue Were' is Ashin's occasional bodyguard, when such things are called for. His job is largely to look as threatening as possible. A prime student of Darth Silentai and Sannasa Moth, Were is a Sith Warrior and Central Command Operative. He is the only member of the Hands of the Leafghost with any traditional 'Force powers'. As one of Ashin's close associates, he resembles most closely her ideal goal for the CCOs: Were is devoted to maintaining order through justice, and is a strong team player. He wears either the CCO uniform or a suit of armour crafted for him by Darth Kharonos. His bladed lightsabre is made with similar alchemy. *'Tiranya Engel '''is Ashin's information czar. The daughter of Farn Engel and a Miralukan woman, she retains close ties with her father's organization. She has been legally blind since birth. She is Force-sensitive but not trained in any of the traditional powers. Instead, she was taught by Ald Sorosel to use her gifts to augment her natural skill at slicing. She is thus a precognitive slicer, one of several trained by the Sith'ari Centrality. She has a series of subdermal cranial and spinal implants, modeled on the Jade Empire Command Tactical Implant and on mechu-deru, which allow her to interface her mind directly with computer systems much like Nichalus Dreadstar and Irek Ismaren. The name ''Leafghost has crossed Varanin's path many times over the last decade, especially in dreams of whispered voices. Only after reading Hagron-tides-of-green's translation of The Symboliads of Jukreshna has Ashin realized its meaning. Locations The Hands of the Leafghost operate from the Stormblessed, from the Cold Harbor, from Ashin's bubble-home in Otoh Gunga, and from a small complex on Near Indosa. The complex is built into a mountain laced with abandoned mineshafts. It is also home to an alchemy furnace run by Darth Kharonos and his associates, and a library vault containing a number of artifacts and strange weapons. These include the Great Blades Jarnauga and Gideon, the holocrons in Ashin's care, various specimens of materials alchemy, and several books. Ashin's collection of Sith lore is small but growing. For example, during her visits to the libraries of Bast Castle, the Shadow Temple and Niflheim, she scanned many books and scrolls visually, used the Force to bring them back to her recall perfectly, then used her ComTac implant to transcribe the image in her mind's eye. She has thus obtained copies of many important books. She also has a copy of The Symboliads of Jukreshna.